Hi all, I've done a little with this, and the recent posts 
regarding sorcery made me think you might appreciate seeing this.  
Whatever C&C is apprecated.
	Oh and I decided to change things slightly so that Ranma 
doesn't replace Dr. Strange.  I did have a few ideas leading up to a 
storyline where the Ancient one died with no appointed successor, and a 
mystic war over who would become the next sorceror supreme built and 
spread.  But I also had a number of ideas which would have required Dr. 
Strange to be there for them to work.
	Anyways, the fict:


Ranma Saotome: Master of the Mystic Arts
By Brendan O'Donnell
Chapter 1

	Ranma sat in a bar in Shanghai looking at the Panda across the 
table from her guzzling down a bottle of Sake.  Glancing down at her 
own breasts he shuddered.  She wanted to grab the bottle away from her 
father and drink until she forgot about them, until she could look in 
the mirror and not see the girl looking back.  She looked at her 
father.  The panda was now dancing unstably while all the customers 
clapped their hands.  *Then again maybe not.*
	Someone near her said something in Japanese.  Ranma focused her 
attention to listen.  It had been a while since she had heard Japanese 
from anyone besides her father and the guide who left several days 
earlier.
	"I'm telling you my arm was completely wrecked by the accident, 
but then the Ancient One just waved his hand, said something I couldn't 
make out and�"  the Japanese sailor raised his hand to show the Chinese 
sailor siting opposite from him.
	Nodding his head the Chinese sailor replied, "Hmm, is like old 
stories.  Ancient One much wisdom much power.  Can cure any wound, 
remove any curse."
	*Remove any curse?*  Ranma thought to herself.  A few weeks ago 
she would have dismissed any such rumors, but after Jusenkyo� she 
stood, and walked to the table.  "Pardon me for eavesdropping but I 
haven't heard Japanese for a long time.  Could you tell me a little 
more about this Ancient One?"

	Ranma stepped down the hallway with one of her father's arms 
pulled across her shoulders helping the panda walk beside her.  It 
would have been helping if Genma hadn't been unconscious.  Just three 
weeks in the mountains had almost been too much for them.  *Three 
weeks.*  Of course part of the difficulty stemmed from Shampoo's attack 
just as they were leaving which ruined half their supplies.  His father 
had been barely coherent when Ranma spotted the temple through the 
rising snowstorm.  It had taken what seemed like hours to make their 
way to the doors.  The doors that had opened with a touch, leading into 
this straight corridor down which she was dragging her father.

	It was a large room with a domed ceiling that extended high 
above.  The door she had entered was one  of almost a dozen leading 
into the room.
	On a platform in a large throne who's shape suggested a 
hemisphere sat a very old looking man.  He was wearing lama like robes 
and siting Buddha like on the throne.
	 "Greetings traveler, You are welcome in this place."
	Ranma took a deep breath and walked forward to the platform.  
"Are you the Ancient One?"
	"You seek the Ancient One?  Seek no more for you stand before 
him."  Ranma stepped to the foot of the platform.  "Speak.  Tell me of 
the Jusenkyo that brings you to this place."
	Ranma blinked and looked up at the Ancient One.  "You know 
about that?  Can you cure me?"
	The Ancient One looked to another entrance and called, "Hot 
water for our guests!"  He looked at Ranma.  "You will be more 
comfortable in your original form, correct?"
	"Yeah."  Ranma looked down a moment and took a deep breath then 
exhaled slowly.  "Look, Pop and I have been traveling for weeks looking 
for you because we heard you could cure curses.  Can you get rid of 
this one for us?"  The Ancient One simply looked at him a moment, then 
smiled as a small man in  orange robes walked up behind Ranma and 
poured a little hot water on her head from a kettle he held.  Turning 
away from the now male Ranma the servant walked to the panda.
	"You and your father must be tired from your journey.  I shall 
have my acolytes prepare a room for you."  He looked past Ranma to the 
figure who had just restored the panda's humanity.  Turning to look at 
the Ancient One the orange clad figure bowed and walked out of the 
room.
	Ranma looked at the Ancient One a moment, then stepped up the 
platform and grabbed the Ancient One screaming, "WE JUST CLIMBED A 
MOUNTAIN IN THE MIDDLE OF A BLIZARD, SO CAN YOU CURE US OR NOT!!"
	His eyes narrowing, the Ancient One stated, "Insolence."  He 
raised his arm.  Suddenly Ranma found himself pulled away from the 
Ancient One.  Pulled into the air by an unseen force.  The Ancient One 
stood his arm loosely pointing in Ranma's direction.  "None may lay 
hands upon the Ancient One."  He dropped his arm, and Ranma fell to the 
ground, collapsing to his hands and knees from shock and exhaustion.
	The Ancient One looked at Ranma, past him to his father, then 
shouted, "SHAN!"
	"Master."  A voice responded from a door to the side of the 
chamber.  Ranma looked toward the voice as he pulled himself to his 
feet.  The dark haired man was bowing his head toward the Ancient One, 
obscuring his face from Ranma.  Then he raised his head.  Shan was at 
least as old as his father, with streaks of gray at his temples and in 
his short cut goatee.  However as he raised his head his eyes locked 
with Ranma's for a moment.  Ranma forced himself to keep looking 
despite the overpowering sense of malice and hate he could feel in the 
older man's eyes.  Then Shan was looking past him to the Ancient One.
	"Please show our guests to their quarters for the night."
	"Of course master."  Shan turned to look at the two travelers. 
 With a slight smirk, he walked over to Genma.  Reaching out his hand 
he made a grasping motion, and Genma floated a few feet off the floor. 
 Glancing at Ranma he commented "This way," as he left the room through 
a large hall to the side.

	Ranma sat looking out the window of the room he and his father 
had been given at the snow filled pass.  *According to Shan the Ancient 
One said it'll be almost a week before it'll be safe for us to leave.* 
 The memory of the trip to the temple through the raging storm brought 
on an instinctive shiver.  *At least dad's ok,*  Ranma thought looking 
over at his father who was lying on the sleeping pallet he had been 
given, snoring loudly.  *Not that that's such a great thing.*  Ranma 
scowled and looked back out the window.
	A minute later Ranma stood and left the room.

	Ranma stood at the doorway into the Ancient One's chamber.  
*Magic.  I'm half girl now thanks to magic, and here I am hoping some 
old guy has magic to change that.  Well as soon as that's taken care of 
pop and I will be on our way and that's the last we'll have to deal 
with magic.*  He stepped into the room, then paused glancing beside the 
Ancient One's throne, where a strange orange mist was bubbling up from 
nowhere.  Moving with a very un-mistlike cohesion it reared up like a 
serpent.  "Look out!"
The Ancient One glanced at Ranma then pivoted to the mist.  He raised 
his hands, speaking quietly and as the mist shape struck a glow 
surrounded him.  "The Vapors of Valtor cannot pierce the shining shield 
of the Seraphim." The Ancient One stated.
	Ranma started to run across the room to the throne, *There has 
to be something I can do, but that has to be magic, How am I supposed 
to fight mist!*
	"Come no closer!"  The Ancient One called at Ranma who slowed 
to a halt.
	The ancient one rose to his feet.  The mists boiled around him 
like an amoebae trying to engulf its prey.
	"In the name of the Vistani, begone!"  The Ancient One 
proclaimed, punctuating his declaration with a gesture toward the 
cloud, which burst away from him.  The vapor fragments hung pulsing in 
the air for moments, extended as though to reform around the Ancient 
One again, then dissipated into nothingness.
	The Ancient One lowered himself into his throne, then with an 
exhausted raised his hand to rest his forehead on.
	"What was that?"  Ranma said as he walked up to the throne.  
	"I have worked to prevent this world from falling to those from 
beyond for many centuries.  In that time I have made a few enemies.  
One of them tried to catch me by surprise today."
	Ranma looked at the Ancient One, the deep wrinkles lining his 
face, the frail barely more than skeletal arms, the drops of sweat on 
his forehead.  "You shouldn't be having to do this."
	"There is no one else to do what must be done."  The ancient 
one looked into Ranma's eyes.  "Ranma, you came to me seeking a cure 
for your curse.  I can end your transformations, but the change itself 
is merely an aspect of what became part of you at Jusenkyo.  The 
essence of that spring has interwoven itself with your karma, and if I 
prevent the structured manifestation of the change, it will manifest 
chaotically, causing you great."  He shook his head.  "No potential 
cure will be effective or safe until you use the curse to reshape 
fate."
	"So you can't help up.  Thank you for saying so."  Ranma bowed 
to the Ancient One and turned to leave the room.

	Ranma slowly walked through the citadel, not looking at 
anything in particular.  *No cure here then.  I shoulda guessed.  That 
means we'll be leaving when the weather clears up.  Hopefully Shampoo's 
given up on us, she definitely hasn't followed us through that storm.* 
 He stopped and glanced at the walls.  *I just hope the Ancient One 
will be OK, whatever he's doing it's gotta be important.*  He resumed 
walking, hands clasped behind his back.  *And Shan, I don't trust that 
guy.*  He looked up and saw light coming from an open archway to his 
right.  Glancing through he saw Shan leaning over a table, engrossed by 
a small cloud of fog rolling on its center.  Glowing orange mist, *Just 
like what attacked the Ancient one.*  Then the mist dispersed revealing 
a small stone figurine of the ancient one on his throne.
	Shan suddenly rose turning his head to look right at Ranma.  
Ranma saw Shan's eyes widen in surprise then narrow in confident 
malice.  The memory of the Ancient One holding him in the air with a 
gesture flashed through his mind as he jumped into the room spinning 
into a roundhouse kick at Shan's head.  To Ranma's surprise it 
connected, knocking Shan several feet away to land by the wall.  Ranma 
looked at him a moment, surprised at his success.  Then he saw Shan 
shaking his head and looking at him.  Cursing his distraction Ranma 
clenched his fist and jumped across the room to his opponent.
	A foot away from Shan, an unseen force struck Ranma, throwing 
him across the room.  "Such an assault shall not be forgiven." Shan 
said as he rose to his feet.  Gesturing quickly he added, "Nor shall it 
be repeated."
	Ranma pulled himself partway up the wall, when a strange force 
suddenly encased his wrists and ankles, resembling an orange flame, but 
cool to the touch and hard and resilient.  The mystic bindings pulled 
at him with more strength than he could resist, and he collapsed back 
onto the floor.  Then Shan squatted before Ranma, and grabbed his hair, 
lifting his head to look up so they could see eye to eye.
	"A very strong kick."  Shan commented, rubbing his bruised 
cheek.  With a scowl he lashed out backhanding Ranma.  "You need to 
learn not to attack your betters."  This time Shan made a quick 
stabbing gesture at Ranma, who curled his body, barely keeping himself 
from screaming as agony surged through his nerves like fire.  Shan 
watched with a smile on his face for a full minute, then with another 
gesture cancelled his spell.
	Ranma rolled onto his side and looked up at his tormenter.  
"When the Ancient One learns�"
	"You wouln't be telling him anything."  Shan responded, 
gesturing once again.  Ranma suddenly felt a sensation of his throat 
being grasped.  "And there wouln't be anything to make him curious 
either."  He added while gesturing once again.  Suddenly the magic 
restraints faded away.  Ranma looked down at himself a moment, then 
pulled himself to his feet.  As he rose Shan grabbed his face.  Ranma 
attempted to reach up to counter the assault almost instinctively, but 
the bonds reformed the moment his hands began to move.  Shan let go, 
then with his other hand he drove a fist into Ranma's stomach, causing 
the martial artist to double over and fall to his knees.  Looking at 
his fist Shan commented, "Crude and clumsy, yet so satisfying."  With a 
laugh he left the room.

	Ranma walked back into the Ancient one's throne room.  He had 
tried talking with his father about events, but while he could talk 
about the attack, any attempt to mention Shan's treachery caused the 
spell to silence him.  *Not that it would have mattered, if pop knew 
about Shan he'd just decide to hide in his room till he could run 
away.*  Ranma felt a familiar sensation of distaste contemplating his 
father's cowardice.  *The Ancient One's trying to help the whole world 
and Shan's trying to kill him.*  He looked at his hands.  *A martial 
artist is supposed to help people, but I can't do anything about Shan!*
	Looking toward the Ancient one's throne, Ranma saw Shan bowing 
to the Ancient One seated there.  Turning he walked up to Ranma, a 
triumphant smirk on his fact.  "Ah, good to see you again, I was just 
informing the Ancient one that the storms have cleared and you can 
leave in the morning."  Shan walked past and left the room.
	Ranma looked after Shan, anger rising, then dropping as he felt 
the restraints tensing invisibly.  Everything he knew, the skills he 
had spent ten years developing were useless against Shan.  He had been 
defeated completely, and forever.  *NO WAY!  There has to be some way 
of stopping Shan.  Something that�  Wait, his spell wouln't let me warn 
the ancient one, but perhaps I can learn how to overcome the spell and 
fight Shan on his own terms.*  "Ancient One?"
	"Yes Ranma?"
	"I just wanted to know, can you teach me magic?"
	The Ancient one looked at him appraisingly.  "It is not a thing 
that can be learned casually.  You would have to endure many hardships, 
and dedicate the rest of your life to the pursuit."
	"I've got plenty of experience with hardships."  Ranma 
responded.  "And I do want to learn magic.  It's something that would 
be worth dedicating my life toward mastering."
	The Ancient One smiled.  "A request I was hoping to hear from 
the moment you arrived in this hall.  But," he raised his hand and 
gestured, "you should not make such a request while constrained by 
Shan's spells."
	Ranma blinked.  He raised his hands and looked at them.  He 
couldn't feel any sensation of binding, not even when he visualized his 
fist smashing into Shan's face.  "You knew."
	"Shan is the agent of Baron Mordo, an earlier student of mine 
who also fell to the dark path.  I knew the truth of Shan's allegiance 
from the moment he offered himself as my student.  I am not beyond 
hoping that I might someday redeem as I failed to redeem Mordo.  What's 
more, here he is where I can watch him and keep his from harming the 
rest of the world.  But now you are free from Shan's magic.  Do you 
still wish to learn sorcery?"
	Ranma thought a moment.  Then he smiled and nodded.  "Yes, I 
want to study sorcery under you."

	Shampoo stood just outside Joketsuzok village, looking south at 
the distant outlines of the mountains where her quarry had vanished 
just over a month earlier.  She scowled thinking of her failure to kill 
her quarry before she and her panda could escape to the mountains.  
Thinking of the mountains caused her scowl to once again fade to 
puzzlement as it had so often from the moment her great grandmother had 
come to stop her pursuit.
*Flashback*
	">You cannot pursue them into those mountains, Shampoo.<"
	">Why not Great Grandmother?<"
	">Because of honor.  The people you spoke to said that the girl 
with the pigtail is seeking the Ancient One.  I have not told you of 
this yet, but our family owes a great debt to the Ancient One, and any 
request he makes we must honor whatever the cost.  If he had asked you 
to cease your pursuit of Ranma, honor would demand that you break 
tribal law and accept the consequences.<"
	"Ayah!  >What did the Ancient One do that could endebt us to 
him so completely?<"
	Cologne frowned and looked at her.  ">For you it is sufficient 
to know that the debt exists, and to honor it.<"  Smiling she added, 
">Don't worry Shampoo, there is a villager who owes us a great debt and 
when Ranma returns from the mountains we will hear.  And however the 
Ancient One might feel about her death, if he doesn't tell you not to 
it's not your fault for acting in ignorance.<"
*End Flashback*
	">What kind of debt does our family owe?<"

	In a courtyard of the Ancient One's temple, Genma jumped at his 
son lashing out with a spinning kick that flowed into a rapid barrage 
of three punches.  Ranma avoided the first attack,  then blocked the 
handstrikes, backing away the whole time.  As Genma stepped foreword to 
press Ranma's retreat, Ranma tripped falling backward.  Genma picked up 
his attack, and walked right into a fast kick his son threw from the 
ground.  As Genma staggered back, Ranma spun on the ground, sweeping 
his father's legs out from under him.  With a final kick, halted a 
centimeter from Genma's face Ranma stated, "I win."
	"Not bad Ranma, you've definite improved enough to justify 
calling this training trip complete."  Genma commented as he pulled 
himself off the floor.
	"We're staying, Pops."  Ranma responded as he raised his legs. 
 A downward kick combined with arching his back threw him to his feet.
	Genma looked at his son, then scowled.  "Ranma, you are a 
martial artist!  All this�"  He trailed off gesturing about him, "We 
have been here over ten months!  You belong in Japan, not siting on a 
mountain chanting mantra's all day!"
	Ranma sighed, and glanced at a fountain fifteen feet away.  
Raising his hands he quickly gestured at the fountain.  For a second a 
jet of water arced through the air splashing onto Genma's head turning 
him into a panda.  Genma continued growling, stopping when he saw the 
water continue it's course to splash Ranma invoking his curse.
	"Ah man!"  Ranma commented as she wiped the water off her face. 
 "When am I going to get that to work right?"
	Genma raised a sign stating, "That's what you get for being 
disrespectful to your elders, Boy"
	Ranma looked at her father with a very neutral expression.  
Shaking her head she walked into the citadel.

	Ranma paused as he saw Shan standing in the room before him.  
His fellow student looked at him not bothering to hide the hate in his 
eyes.  
	"Shan."  Ranma stated coldly, bowing slightly.
	"You have made rapid progress boy."  Shan stated.  "I was 
patient for a time, but now I find I can no longer tolerate your 
presence here."  Walking across the room, he came to a halt two feet 
away from Ranma.  "I challenge you to Certamen in five hours.  The 
looser will leave this place."
	Ranma looked the older man in the eyes.  "Challenge accepted."

	"You need to learn to control your temper, Ranma."  The ancient 
one commented as they walked together down the  hallway.
	"I know.  But magic comes from within, and I learn better by 
facing challenges than by studying scrolls."
	The Ancient One looked at Ranma and sighed.  "You must find 
your own path, but you should not seek that path until you have 
mastered the founding knowledge."  They reached a large pair of doors. 
 A gesture from the Ancient One caused them to swing open.
	The doors opened into a large doomed room.  Dominating most of 
the floor was a complicated set of concentric magic circles.  The 
larger circle was 500 feet in diameter, and with six lines moving 
inward to a second circle, which sported three smaller circles at the 
intersection of three of the lines.  This circle then extended inward 
in a series of partial circles attached by lines from one circle 
inward, till they reached a whole 100-foot circle.  Shan stood in one 
of the circles of the second circle.
	"Master."  Shan said, bowing to the ancient one.  "Let's 
begin."  He added, swinging his gaze to Ranma.
	Ranma walked to one of the empty circles, the Ancient One to 
the other.  "You have issued the challenge Shan, and Ranma has 
accepted.  What terms do you wish?"
	Shan smirked.  "That whoever looses this contest will leave 
this place forev�"
	"For a year."
	Shan looked at the Ancient One,  the nodded.  "As you say, 
whoever looses will leave and not step foot here till the sun attains a 
full cycle.  By my honor, by my life, by my art I swear to accept these 
terms without complaint."
	"I likewise swear."  Ranma added.
	"Very well."  The Ancient One responded.  Raising his hands to 
a triangular form before his face, he began to quietly chant.  As the 
chant continued a glow sprung up around him, and suddenly the circle he 
stood within began to shine with a bright bluish white light.  The 
Ancient One shifted his gesture slightly, and the light spread along 
the lines like molten silver being molded.
	Ranma dropped to one knee, reaching down to place his right 
hand in the circle containing a hexagram that touched the line leading 
to the inner circles.  Closing his eyes he focused his mind.  The power 
flowing into the pattern flowed through him, gaining strength as it 
continued its flow into the inner portion of the pattern of lines.  As 
he felt the power reach it's peak, he reached inward a moment, and let 
his astral body separate from his physical body.
	Floating into the circle, Ranma gathered the power from the 
circle, and from the link with his physical form.  Opposite him he 
could see Shan floating into the smallest circle, forming part of the 
power he was gathering into a black armor.  Concentrating Ranma 
channeled part of his power into his own defensive aspect as well.  His 
protection took the form of shimmering light, which seemed to fuzz the 
boundaries of his aspect.  As he reached the inner circle he focused 
power into the other aspect of Certamen, attack.  Power gathered in a 
sphere in his right hand.  He saw Shan forming a similar sphere between 
both hands in front of him.
	Shan released his attack  The ball of energy flew at Ranma.  
Ranma waited.  The sphere of dark blue power streaked with ebony 
exploded five feet from Ranma, erupting into the form of a great blue 
and black striped snake, which lunged at Ranma.  Ranma flew foreword, 
dodging past it.  Raising himself to an airborne approximation of 
standing, Ranma released about half the power he had gathered into the 
sphere as a score of light darts shooting toward Shan like a cloud.  
Simultaneously he focused his defensive power behind him, bracing him 
against the blow impacting with his defensive field as he released his 
attack.  Forming what was left of his attack sphere into a katana, 
Ranma pivoted, slashing into the shake form, which dissipated from the 
attack.
	 Ranma spun again, feeding power into the sword he held.  Shan 
wasn't in sight.   Raising his hand he concentrated defensive power 
into a shield above.  Just in time to deflect most of a large black 
tinted energy blast falling on him like a meteor.  Sinking from the 
impact Ranma could feel the energy that penetrated the shield somewhat 
disrupting his links to the circle.  The shattering of that link 
wouldn't be fatal, it would however be Shan's victory.  *No way.*  
Reforming his sword into a staff he flew up toward Shan, dodging 
another blast as he ascended.  Twirling the staff in hands he struck at 
Shan in a flurry, forcing the sorcerer backward.  Then as Ranma circled 
the staff in a blow Shan flew backward to avoid, he shifted the staff 
into a chain, which wrapped around his enemy.  Channeling his raw 
offensive power through the chain, he was able to inflict some damage 
of his own before Shan formed a dagger to cut the weapon.
	Shan dropped, flying downward at full speed.  Ranma followed, 
dissolving the chain back into it's unshaped magic.  Shan pivoted a few 
feet from the floor, hurling three spheres of power at Ranma.  Ranma 
formed three shields, shaping the attack power to strike and disrupt 
whatever attack was strongest.  The center sphere shifted into a black 
furred cat.  "NO!"  Ranma cried as he focused his energy into reversing 
his descent.  He let his attack power dissipate, dropped two shields 
and focused every reserve into a shield between him and the cat.  As 
the cat form popped like bubble on Ranma's shield, the other two blasts 
struck him full force from the sides.
	From the sidelines, Genma grinned and clenched his fist.  
*Yes!*

	Ranma checked the wax seal on a scroll before adding it to 
several more filling a wooden box.
	"I can carry some of those if you want Ranma."  Genma commented 
as he finished packing his own backpack.  Ranma looked up at him then 
picked up the final scroll checked it's seal and added it to the box.  
Looking over the scrolls he picked up a wrapped cloth bundle and put it 
over the scrolls.  Closing the lid he picked up two strips of paper, 
and spread them across the top of the box.  Picking up a candle and a 
chunk of wax he melted a small blob into the intersection of the two 
strips.  Speaking quietly he gestured over the wax, then picked up a 
small silver disk and pressed it into the wax.  A ripple of something 
passed across the surface of the box.
	"Well, I pity anyone who tries to get past that."
	Genma looked at the box with a somewhat fearful expression.  
"Um, what did you do Ranma?"
	"A low level aversion to keep most folk from wanting to steal 
it, an alarm function to warn me if anyone's tampering with it despite, 
and a little something to make whoever it is feel REAL penitent." Ranma 
grinned as he finished his explanation.  Putting the box into his empty 
backpack, Ranma began adding his clothes and few possessions on top of 
it.
	Genma glanced at the box again.  *Ok, the scrolls wouln't make 
good kindling.  I just have to trust that getting away from here will 
make the boy realize he's a martial artist and it's not his place to 
throw away all of my hard work!*